Under The Rays Of The Sun
by Mac-alicious
Summary: Leah's gone. Maybe she can be found under the rays of the sun...if the right person is looking for her. Blackwater


**A/N: **I really liked how this Blackwater (Jacob x Leah) one-shot turned out. Again, it deals with the dynamic between Nessie x Jacob x Leah in an endless love triangle. I think Jacob's explanation of his feelings near the end of this is exactly my take on the situation they would be in if this was canon. Anyway, enjoy! R&R! Thanks! –Mac 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight.

**Under The Rays Of The Sun**

"Leah's gone."

"What do you mean, she's gone?" Jacob scowled as he questioned Seth through the phone.

"Exactly what it sounds like, Jacob," Seth responded. "She's gone. Disappeared. She took all her things, and the stash of money she didn't think I knew about. You should see here room Jacob…it's like she was never there. There's no trace of her."

"She had to leave a trail…" Jacob shook his head. "Have you tried to track her? Did you talk to Sam?"

"I have the funny feeling she didn't want to be followed," Seth replied. "And no, I haven't told Sam. You may be hundreds of miles away, but _you_ are our Alpha. Not Sam."

"Shit Seth, what am I supposed to do? I'm not there and it sounds like you're not so worried about whether she's coming back or not. So I can't figure out why you called me," Jacob exclaimed.

"She left without saying goodbye. And maybe I don't want her to come back so much…I'm not stupid Jacob, I know she needed to be away from here as much as you do. I couldn't figure out why she stayed so long after you were gone. I half expected her to go with you," Seth muttered.

"Well, I left with Nessie…and the Cullens. I don't think she wanted them as neighbors anymore than Sam and Emily," Jacob responded. "I still don't understand what you want me to do."

"I just want to know where she is and if she's okay and everything. I would also like to know why she didn't say goodbye to her kid brother and her mother. I want to know why she chose now and like this," Seth explained.

"Where do I come in here, Seth?" Jacob said firmly, through gritted teeth.

"You know her better than anyone now. The couple years before you and the Cullens up and left, you and her were super close, right?" Seth asked.

"Right," Jacob drew it out, hoping to prompt Seth to continue.

"Well, you would know better than any of us where she would go. If anyone was going to find her…it would be you," Seth finished.

Jacob sighed, "I'll find her."

-+-+-+-+-

It was hard for Jacob to explain to the entire Cullen brood why _he_ had to leave to find someone who one, didn't want to be found, and two, he hadn't seen or regularly spoken to in years. He kept mentioning Seth, trying to use his youngest pack member as an excuse. He made it sound as if Seth had practically begged for his help. While the lie was enough for most of them—Rosalie, especially, was just happy to have him out of her hair for awhile—it didn't have Bella, and certainly not Edward, convinced. Bella had scrunched up her eyes as if trying to read him as easily as her husband could.

"There's more to it," Bella murmured.

"No, there's not," Jacob reaffirmed again, though he knew repeating it couldn't make it true.

Edward raised a perfect eyebrow, "Be honest."

"Get out of my head," Jacob seethed.

Edward raised his hands in the air, gesturing surrender, "Guard your thoughts and it wouldn't be a problem."

"What's he thinking?" Bella questioned.

"It's not my place to divulge his secrets," Edward answered.

Through all this, Nessie had been watching the trio from the other side of the room. She had her eyes narrowed on Jacob as he defended himself. She had always known there was more to the relationship between her Jacob and the lone female wolf, but it had never mattered before. She tilted her head and continued to watch his face as his expressions changed.

"I know her best," Jacob replied, "It will be easiest for me to find her. I can give Seth the information he wants and be done with it. He won't stop bothering me until someone finds her. If I don't do it, then it will be delegated to Sam. As he is most likely the reason she left in the first place, I can't let him be sent after her."

"There's more to it," Bella repeated. "It's been how many years since you've seen her, Jacob?"

"Five," Jacob answered reluctantly.

"Five years…and you find it _this_ important that _you_ go after when she obviously doesn't want _anyone_ to come after her…" Bella rambled.

"What do you want me to say, Bella?" Jacob growled. He shot a quick glance at Nessie then back at Bella and Edward. "Yes, there's more to it. It's not likely I'm going to say it here. And you both should know I'm going to go whether you deem it appropriate or not. If it hasn't occurred to you, I don't need permission, not from you Bella or this family. I was letting you know, _as a courtesy_, that I'll be gone."

Bella scowled, "And what about Renesmee?"

"What about her?" Jacob questioned. "I'm not leaving. I'm finding a friend and then coming back."

"You sure about that?" Bella lowered her voice, searching Jacob's eyes.

At that moment, Nessie jumped gracefully down from her perch on the arm of her chair. She crossed the room to where her parents and Jacob were standing. As she came up behind Jacob, she ran her hand up his back, across his shoulder and down his arm. All the while she was sending him a single, resounding thought.

"_No_," Edward said firmly.

"You can't come with me," Jacob shook his head at the same time as Edward.

Nessie placed a strategic pout on her features.

"No," Edward repeated. He picked up on his daughter's next thought, "It may not be physically dangerous, but this is between Jacob and his Beta. If he goes, he goes alone."

Jacob nodded in agreement, "Right. I'll be back in no time. Don't worry, Nessie."

Jacob picked up the bag he was taking with him and headed for the door. He heard Bella say once again that she didn't like that he was going and Edward reassure her softly. Nessie followed him out onto the porch. Jacob turned to face her. He reached out and pushed a few stray hairs out of her face. He took a deep breath and leaned forward to kiss her goodbye. She stopped him with a strong hand on his cheek. Before his eyes played a memory of when the Cullens and he had still been in Forks. _He was standing beside Leah, one arm around her shoulders. She smiled and he laughed as he reached over with his free hand to ruffle her hair. _Jacob took a stumbling step backward, breaking the connection with Nessie. Her expression was hard as she looked at him. He didn't need her to speak or touch him to know what she was thinking.

"I'll be back," Jacob whispered.

"_I don't believe you,_" Nessie replied.

Jacob didn't know how to respond to her spoken statement, so he didn't. He stepped close to her again to press a kiss to her cheek, took another deep breath and was gone.

-+-+-+-+-

It didn't take Jacob long to get back to La Push and he had a welcoming party waiting for him when he arrived. Each member of his old pack and Seth stood before him. He looked questioningly at Seth. Seth shrugged and looked apologetic. Jacob prepared himself for what he would only assume was a bittersweet reunion. Sam stepped forward actively projecting his position as Alpha. Jacob felt no intimidation as his own Alpha spirit rose to the conflict.

"Long time no see, Jacob," Sam greeted with his arms folded over his chest.

"I'll be out of your fur in a couple days or less," Jacob responded. "Let me do what I came here to do and then I'm gone."

"We've already tried Jacob, there's no trace of her. Catching Leah's trail has been our top priority. We've come up with nothing," Sam replied.

"I'll like to try for myself," Jacob shrugged. "There's always a chance you missed something."

"All of us?" Sam gestured at the group assembled behind him.

"All due respect, Sam, but Seth called me to help before you even knew she was gone. And you'll recall she's _my_ Beta, not yours. But you probably hope she isn't found as much as she doesn't want to be found. That way you don't have to admit to yourself that you're the reason she's gone in the first place. You're the one who drove her away," Jacob said forcefully.

Sam was at his throat the split second the words left his lips, "Did you ever consider that _you're_ the reason she left? You think I don't know about the tawdry little affair you had with her while your half breed imprint was still a toddler?"

Jacob shoved Sam away from him. He smirked, "Jealous, Sam?"

Sam scowled in response, before turning to leave.

"I'll have to let her know when I find her. She'll be happy to know it worked," Jacob called after him.

"Excuse me?" Sam whipped around to face Jacob again.

"She was only with me to spite you," Jacob replied simply.

"And who were you trying to spite, Jacob?" Sam was struggling to keep his anger in check. "Bella or your infant imprint?"

Jacob smirked, "You've seen her. I didn't need an excuse to accept what she so generously offered me."

Sam's control snapped and he tried to lunge at Jacob. He was restrained by his pack and Jacob took the opportunity to grab Seth by the arm and drag him toward the Clearwater house. Once inside, Seth rounding on Jacob.

"Did you have to talk about my sister that way in front of me?" Seth exclaimed.

"Sorry," Jacob shrugged. "I meant nothing by it. And he needed to hear it like that so he would back off for a couple days. Once he cools down, it's going to take him a few days to process what I said and if I meant it the way it sounded. He'll avoid me like the plague while he does."

"You've been here five minutes and you're already pissing people off," Seth shook his head.

"It's what I do," Jacob responded. "Besides, he kinda deserved it. A 'welcome home Jacob' would have been nice."

"Can you blame him? Even if you weren't on the best of terms when you left, he still felt like you had abandoned us for the Cullens. We all kind of did. Even Leah…" Seth replied. "You were gone five years Jacob. You never came home once and I _know_ Bella has visited Charlie at least once."

"Bella wasn't supposed to, but she insisted. It helped her adjust to the new place once she didn't feel so homesick," Jacob explained. "You knew when I left I wasn't coming back unless absolutely necessary. I wouldn't even be here now if you hadn't been so adamant."

"Hey, I didn't have to put much effort into begging you to come. Believe what you will, but you're here of your own free will," Seth corrected. Jacob glared at him and Seth surrendered, "But you're the Alpha. If you say I begged, then I begged."

"Can we get started?" Jacob raised an eyebrow.

"Right, sure," Seth nodded. "Her room?"

"Yes, Seth. Let's start with her room," Jacob answered.

Seth led Jacob to Leah's room, though he knew where it was very clearly. Seth pushed open the door and Jacob, for all that he had been told, was still unprepared for the sight. The room was void of all the things that made it Leah's. The walls were bare, the uncovered mattress was slightly askew on the bed frame, her dresser drawers were all slightly open and obviously empty, and her closet doors were wide open and save for a few hangers and one old jacket, it was empty too. Though Jacob could already tell there was no trace of Leah left in the room, he felt obligated to take a closer look. As he looked through all her drawers, Seth finally mustered up the courage to ask the question that had been hanging between them since Sam brought it up.

"So this thing between you and my sister?" Seth broached the subject.

"It was only a few times," Jacob answered, knowing it was the time to be honest. "After the whole ordeal with the Voltori and Nessie, we got closer and one thing lead to another…"

"How did that work with the whole imprint thing?" Seth frowned.

"Nessie was still a child in many ways. I needed to be around her but she was far from my mind when I was with Leah," Jacob wasn't sure how to explain it to Seth.

He had felt the pull of the imprint in an entirely different way than the way he felt pulled toward Leah. The two forces coexisted for awhile, allowing him to be with Leah, but hold onto his connection to Nessie. When the pull toward Nessie grew stronger, he ended things with Leah. When he couldn't find the words to make Seth understand, he decided not to explain further.

"And Nessie and Leah were both okay with this arrangement?"

"Did Leah know what she was getting into? Yes. She wanted no strings attached and I could give it to her since she knew my strings were attached elsewhere. And she wasn't hurt when I left. She understood why I had to go," Jacob spoke as he leaned down to pry open the last drawer. "As for Nessie, she never knew. Still doesn't as far as I know. The only person who has any idea is Edward and he's not going to share. He didn't completely approve, but he's not going to tell anyone, especially not Bella or Nessie."

Seth's face scrunched up as he continued, "There were no feelings involved then?"

"No," Jacob answered far too quickly for Seth to believe him, but he didn't call him out on it. Jacob slammed the drawer closed. "There's nothing here."

"I know," Seth responded.

"There are other places to try to pick her up," Jacob replied reassuringly.

"I know you don't want to trust Sam on his word, but we tried everything. They looked everywhere," Seth said. "Do you really think he could have missed something?"

"Sam's not perfect," Jacob shot back. "I'll keep looking. I'll make a second sweep. Even if he's right, it can't hurt. If she had any idea where she was going to go, she's already there and she's not going anywhere."

-+-+-+-+-

Jacob returned to the Clearwater porch, pulling on his shirt as he went. Seth piped up from his place on one side, "Anything?"

"Nothing. She covered her tracks well. No trace of her anywhere. Not the airport, bus station nowhere. She could have been there and I have no way of knowing. She covered her scent. And she's not phasing," Jacob answered.

"She knew we'd be looking," Seth replied.

"She knew _you_ would be looking, not me," Jacob corrected. "There has to be something…"

"You think she didn't know you would come looking for her?" Seth scoffed. "She probably expected it."

Jacob's eyes shot up to meet Seth's upon a sudden realization, "Then she would have known I'd find different meaning in what she left behind."

"Yeah, but she didn't leave anything," Seth responded, confused.

"Yes she did," Jacob raised a finger and shook it at Seth. The next minute he was in the house and on his way to her room.

Seth caught up with him as Jacob had pulled the jacket from her closet and threw it down on the bed. Seth sent him a confused look. He didn't see the significance in the single article of clothing his sister had left.

"She left this," Jacob said. "Why would she leave it?"

"Because she was a werewolf like you and me, because she hadn't worn it since she first phased…" Seth gave all the obvious answers, which he believed Jacob must be overlooking.

"She also had two pairs of boots at the bottom of her closet, at least four pairs of gloves and some scarves in the top drawer, thermals in the second drawer and a sweatshirt in the bottom drawer," Jacob replied, pointing at each place he was describing.

"How do you know—never mind, I don't want to know," Seth shook his head.

"The point is Seth, why would she take all those things she had no use for, and leave this?" Jacob asked and Seth shrugged. "You were right. She knew I would come looking for her and she left this on purpose. So I could find her…only _me_. She wanted me to find her, but not anyone else. So, she left something only I would understand."

"I don't get it," Seth frowned.

"Like I said, you're not supposed to," Jacob patted Seth on the back, before picking up the jacket and heading for the door.

"What does it mean?" Seth called after him.

"It means I know where she it."

-+-+-+-+-

Jacob chose to take more conventional means of transportation. Though, he probably would have been faster on foot, he felt he needed the extra time. He spent the plane ride, trying to think of what to say to her when he saw her again. In the end, it did him no good, because he still had no clue when he stepped off the plane. He climbed into a cab and they headed off, all he could think about was the conversation from long ago that led him to her. It had taken awhile for it to resurface, but that last conversation with Seth had brought it vividly back to the forefront of his memory.

_"I'm beginning to hate the rain," Leah murmured as she lay in Jacob's arms. They were tangled together under her blankets and listening to the sound of the rain against her window._

_Jacob pulled her closer against him, laughing lightly, "You'd have to move far away to escape it."_

_"I've been thinking of doing just that," Leah responded._

_"Where would you go?" Jacob asked as he began to gently stroke her hair._

_"Somewhere where the sun shines more often than the rain falls," Leah sighed dreamily, "I know just the place too. There's a wonderful bed and breakfast right on the beach. The sand is pure white and warm. You can bask under the rays of the sun…"_

_"Sounds nice," Jacob yawned lightly._

_"We should go there. You and me. We've lived in the rain long enough. You and me should see the sun," Leah said, her eyes on the ceiling and her mind already on that far away beach._

_Jacob took in a deep breath, "As much as I would love that, we both know we can't do that. I can't do that."_

_"You'll never get the sun with them," Leah whispered._

_"I know," Jacob nodded, "But…"_

_"It's what you have to do," Leah finished for him. "A shame, that's what that is."_

_Jacob remained silent._

_Suddenly Leah turned over, leaning her chest over his. She smiled and kissed him lightly. As she pulled away, she said, "Well someday I'm going to go there. And so you can always find me, if I ever disappear, I'm going to…"_

Jacob was abruptly drawn from his thoughts by the cab driver, "We're here buddy."

Jacob thanked him and paid for the ride. He slung his bag over his shoulder as he stood outside the bed and breakfast that Leah had told him about. He collected himself and headed inside. He walked up to the front desk to be greeted by an overly excited concierge.

"How may I help you?"

"Do you have a Leah Clearwater staying here?" Jacob questioned, knowing there was a chance this person would be no help.

"You Jacob Black?" the guy asked in response.

"Yes," Jacob answered after a moment of shock.

"She said you would be coming in sooner or later. Miss Clearwater is currently out on the beach," the guy explained and pointed to a door that led out to the beach.

"Thanks," Jacob replied as he headed in that direction.

"Look for the blue umbrella," the guy called after him.

Once out the door, using the concierge's tip, Jacob easily spotted Leah down by the water. He slipped off his shoes as he reached the sand and headed toward her. He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat with no results. He was nearly standing over her before he got a real look at her. She was lying on her stomach facing away from him. She was wearing the smallest bikini he had ever seen and he realized it had been a long time since he had seen that much of her—it had been a long time since he had seen any of her. He was staring, but he was too caught up to realize it.

"Took you long enough," Jacob was startled by Leah's voice--he was sure she hadn't looked up at him or seen him. She sat up and finally looked at him, "I guess my clue wasn't as obvious as I thought it was."

"You left a clue?" Jacob feigned confusion. He sat down next to her and opened his bag. He pulled out her jacket and handed it to her. "I just came because you forgot this."

Leah laughed and set the jacket aside, "So you found me. I told you that you would always be able to. And I made sure you would be the _only_ one able to."

"I figured that out," Jacob turned his head to watch the waves. "But why now?"

"Renesmee turned seven," Leah answered simply. "And Sam and Emily celebrated _another_ anniversary. It was my way of starting over. With no attachments to anything that wasn't _mine._"

"Then why did you want me to come here?" Jacob questioned.

"I figured it was the only way I'd ever see you again since you never visit," Leah laughed pulling Jacob's attention back to her.

She had her eyes closed and face angled toward the sun. She was almost glowing. Jacob smiled, remembering why, even with his imprint, he had been able to fall for her. "You're different already."

"The sun really does wonders for fostering a happy disposition," Leah responded. "You should stay, try it out."

Jacob froze.

Leah turned to look at him, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I know you have to go back to her."

"I think she knows I have feelings for you," Jacob suddenly blurted out.

"_Have_?" Leah repeated.

"She thinks I'm not coming back," Jacob continued, ignoring her comment.

"Of course you're going back. I wouldn't let you stay. It would be torture for you," Leah replied.

"It hasn't been so far," Jacob responded, meeting Leah's eyes. "I've been gone nearly a week and I haven't once felt the urge to go back. The pull I had to find you was stronger. When I heard you had disappeared, everything I felt before came flooding back so fast and hard that I had no other option but to find you. It was the same feeling I had when the Cullens had to leave, the idea of not seeing Nessie all the time cut me apart. But the knowledge that you weren't where I left you, cut me even deeper. It's almost like living with two coexisting imprints—"

"That's impossible," Leah shook her head.

"I know that Leah," Jacob shot back, "I'm just telling you what I feel."

"It killed me to let you go Jacob, but I knew I had to," Leah said firmly, "Don't play with me like this."

"I'm not playing. If it wasn't true, I wouldn't be here. I'd be back with the Cullens, instead of proving all Nessie's fears correct…" Jacob replied.

"You need to figure out what you want Jacob. Which pull is stronger because I can't deal with you wanting me one day, and her the next day."

"I want you," Jacob answered. "But I'm not sure what I'm going to feel tomorrow or the next day. I won't make you promises I'm not sure I can keep."

"That's not good enough for me, Jacob," Leah whispered.

"I'm staying, is that good enough?" Jacob asked.

"When did you decide that?" Leah countered.

"The moment I got on the plane, I knew. The moment I figured out where you were, I knew. The moment I started looking for you, I knew," Jacob murmured. "I think a part of me knew when I left Nessie on her porch, and that's why she couldn't believe me when I said I was coming back."

"There's going to be a day when you _do_ want to go back to her and what am I supposed to do then?" Leah shook her head.

"I'm beginning to hate the rain," Jacob repeated her words from that conversation so many years before. "And I'll never get the sun with them. I want to bask under the rays of the sun."

"You never could make up your mind, could you Jacob Black?" Leah responded, defeated.

Jacob leaned forward and captured her lips with his. His hand tangled in her hair, drawing her into him. His other hand braced himself on the sand. Leah's hands found their way up to clutch his shoulders. She let one slide back to his neck, playing with the hair at the base. She smiled against his mouth as she realized how much she had missed kissing him. The smile was short lived however.

Leah pulled back slightly to say, "When you go back, tell Seth I'm okay, that I'm happy where I'm at."

Jacob instinctively moved to follow her lips, "I'm not going anywhere."

"I don't believe you," Leah whispered against his lips.


End file.
